Process for the examination of lubricants.



No. 801,952. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905;

K. WILKENS. PROCESS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF LUBRICANTS.

APPLICATION FILED 00136. 1902. RENEWED MAR. 21, 1905 l-EIIIIIIIIIIIIII Q Witnessqs- WM 0 M JM anunzw a (mum cu, woromnlounwniis. WASNINGYON. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT I TIGE.

KARL WILKENS, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed October 6, 1902. Renewed March 21, 1905- Serial No. 251,329.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, KARL'WILKENS, asubject of the German Emperor, residing at 16 and 17 Juedenstrassc, Berlin, Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Process for the Examination of Lubricants, of which the following is a specification.

Lubricants have, as is well known, the object of rendering the movement of mechanisms as far as possible frictionless and to protect the sliding surfaces of machines from direct contact, so that unnecessary loss of power, prejudicial heating, or even destruction of parts of the machine is prevented. The prejudicial direct contact of the sliding surfaces is prevented by a sufliciently high degree of consistence of the oil, which consistence in somewhat increased temperatures must yet be adequate for the resistance of the bearing pressure. High specific pressure of course necessitates a higher degree of consistence. Therefore the control of the degree of consistence in the kind of oil to be employed is of preeminent importance, and all the more inasmuch as in higher temperatures the consistence decreases in most oils very rapidly and in a great measure.

Although in the choice of an oil having sufficient consistence the prejudicial direct contact of the sliding surfaces may be prevented, yet all commercial requirements are not thereby completely satisfied. Different kinds of oil differ considerably with respect to the inner resistance to friction, which is strongly affected by temperature and differences of velocity of the sliding surfaces. For example, in a transmission plant of great extent for working anumber of machines absorbing only a small amount of energy a small increase of the frictional resistance on each sliding surface may be of considerable importance having regard to the consumption of the total power and to the economy of working. It is therefore necessary also to examine the oil having regard to these qualities.

The present process serves for the examination of lubricants to establish these two characteristic and important qualities.

The invention consists in the process by which the liquid is set into motion in a certain manner by means of a motor under the expenditure of a measured quantity of energy and is forced into one or a number of ascending pipes. For the purpose the liquid is set into motion by means of a rotating body.

The examination of the lubricant is made with regard to its inner frictional resistance by determining the height of the column attained in the ascending pipe proportionally to the velocity and in regard to the degree of consistence by the determination of the consumption of energy resulting for equal heights of the column in the ascending pipe proportionally to the velocity and specific weight.

In the accompanying drawing a diagram is given of a specimen apparatus with which the examination of liquid lubricants may be made according to the present process. For example, K is a chamber for the liquid, in the interior of which chamber a rotating vanewheel F is mounted. Two ascending pipes R R are connected to this chamber K so as to branch off tangentiallyin such manner that the rotating vane-wheel effects in the one pipe a rise and in the other pipe a fall of the liquid. For the purpose ofeffecting the rotation of the vane-wheel its spindle is arranged to protrude through the wall of the chamber K.

In the practical construction of such an apparatus the height of the column in the ascend ing pipe -that is, the measure for the determination of the lubricating quality for a given advantageous velocity of rotation must of course be made the greatest possible in order that the apparatus may be sensitive.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. Process for the examination of liquid lubricants consisting in forcing the liquid lubricant by means of a rotating body into an ascending pipe and determining the relation of the velocity of the rotating body to the height of the column, substantially as described.

2. Process for the determination of frictional resistance of liquid lubricants, consisting in forcing the liquid lubricant by a rotating body into an ascending pipe by means operating at constant velocity and determining the height of the column with reference to the velocity, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KARL VVILKENS.

Witn esses:

HENRY HAsrnR, WOLDEMAR HAUr'r. 

